There are so many ways to take a thread like, "The Mental Aspect". Briefly, I will toss some anecdotal observations.
The "Crusty Old Gruffy Chip-on-his-shoulder Veteran"
An easy way to have a BAD MENTAL ATTITUDE (BMA). The partner who "complains" during your entire 30 minute pregame, bad field, lousy ball, why am I doing this level, why aren't I promoted, the assigner is an idiot, the board members are idiots, my last 6 partners were idiots, etc.
Oh Yea, this is a GREAT way to head onto the field. So in the perfect world.. you clear your head, and are focused on the upcoming game, without outside influences, past games, wife, job, etc.... (Impossible, I know).
Almost at the polar extreme is another guy I know in my Assoc. Nice guy, none of the attributes of CRUSTY, no BMA, but..... he's just a lousy umpire... bad mechanics, missed calls, twilight zone zone.... BUT......... this is the big BUT.... HE DOESN'T CARE!
He's a business owner, works hard, and he uses umpiring to CLEAR HIS MIND. He is happy going to the field, he is happy leaving the field, even as the fans are yelling at him. He simply doesn't care! The field is his ESCAPE!
He said once.. "A lady behind the backstop says, Hey blue, don't you hear all these people yelling at you, how can you listen to that? I said, This? This ain't nothing, you should hear my wife bitch!"
A man who has found peace.
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